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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bank — for money
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. craft — boats
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. press — to push
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bank — for money
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bank — of a river
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com